Saturday, January 3, 2026

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VOLLEYBALL

Errors amount to team's weekend split

Disappointing was an understatement for head coach Chuck Erbe after the MSU volleyball team (6-6 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) fell to Purdue on Saturday. Heartbreaking was more like it as MSU lost, 3-2. "The single most disappointing thing about this is, we should've won this match," Erbe said.

BASKETBALL

Students brave wind, cold for chance at lower-bowl tickets

More than 400 multi-colored tents speckled Munn field Saturday night as devoted students sporting hats, coats and gloves waited to receive their coveted basketball tickets in the windy, bitter cold. "I'm wearing a fleece, a hoodie, my winter jacket, a long-sleeve T-shirt and a short-sleeve T-shirt," said finance junior Michelle Lee as she shivered.

SOCCER

One goal wins game

Junior midfielder Ryan McMahen scored the lone goal of the game in the first half as the MSU men's soccer team snapped its two-game losing streak and evened its Big Ten record at 1-1 with a 1-0 win over Northwestern on Sunday at Old College Field. Sophomore goaltender Jason Tillman stopped two Northwestern shots and preserved the game in the second half with the Wildcats pressing for the tying goal. "It was his best game," MSU head coach Joe Baum said.

MSU

ASMSU promotes safe tailgating

If you've been dehydrated during tailgates and are tired of waiting 30 minutes in line for rest room facilities, ASMSU is trying to help. MSU's undergraduate student government members said they don't want to limit students' pregame fun, but they are most concerned with compromised safety caused by binge drinking. ASMSU passed a bill at its general assembly meeting Thursday with tailgating recommendations to be later passed to the MSU Board of Trustees. The recommendations might be implemented as soon as Saturday's home football game against Illinois. "The issue in this bill is safety," said Derek Wallbank, representative for the Council for Students with Disabilities.

MICHIGAN

Hobby Lobby to move into former Farmer Jack location

Shoppers in the former Meridian Township Farmer Jack building might soon find paintbrushes and silk flowers lining the shelves where paper towels and frozen vegetables used to be. Hobby Lobby, an arts and crafts supply store chain based in Oklahoma City, will be moving into the former Farmer Jack building, 2775 E.

MSU

'U' comedy competition held

By Kristi Jourdan Special for The State News "Last Spartan Standing," based on the hit television show "Last Comic Standing," tested students' stand-up comedic skills Saturday night at the International Center.

COMMENTARY

Winning edge

Thursday's presidential debate was by no means a blowout for John Kerry. Many people, including some conservatives, were worried that President Bush's intrinsic lack of public speaking ability would crumble under the pressure of Kerry's well-tuned debate tactics, but that didn't exactly happen. Needless to say, the damage was done.

FEATURES

Festival explores Meridian's past

Meridian Township took a step back in time from the year 2004, making it seem more like 1864. The Meridian Historical Village, 5151 Marsh Road, in Okemos, came alive Saturday as part of the Meridian Heritage Festival. Fiddles played in the background as people meandered in and out of six old buildings in the village and volunteers demonstrated various activities from the 1800s such as shelling corn. "(The festival) is to be able to show the people in community what it was like to live in this area over 100 years ago," said Jane Rose, the Meridian Historical Village Coordinator.

NEWS

MIDDAY UPDATE: Tailgating regulations released; drinking games to be banned

New tailgating restrictions will be implemented before this weekend's home game, MSU officials said Monday. University officials and student groups passed two restrictions: Campus parking lots will not open until five hours before the game and will close two hours after, and drinking game paraphernalia will be banned. The two restrictions are part of a pilot program that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of tailgating restrictions, and if successful, more might be added. "We will continue to look at a fuller set of recommendations and evaluate the effectiveness of these two," said Lee June, vice president for Student Affairs.

FOOTBALL

Missed assignments, 464 total yards equate to loss

Iowa City, Iowa - After completely dominating Indiana's offense in the second half last week, the MSU defense could not put on an encore performance at Iowa. The Spartans (2-3 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) gave up 464 total yards to Iowa (3-2, 1-1) - the worst offensive team in the Big Ten prior to this weekend. "As far as the defense is concerned, I don't think we played very smart today," senior linebacker and captain Ron Stanley said.